Coking-furnace.



L. L. SUMMERS.

come FURNAGB.

APPLICATION I'ILED MAR. 19, 1909. v

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

8 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

\\\\z M\ x L.. L. SUMMERS.

GOKING FURNAE.

APPLIOATION FILBD M119, 1909.

Patend Dee. 14,1909.

8 BHBnTs-lsnzm a.

L. L. SUMMBR.

GOKING FURNACB,

APPLmATmN Hmm ma. 19. 1908.'

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

8 SHEETS-BHEET '4;

L. L. SUMMBRS.

001mm FURNAGB.

v APPLICATION PILD MAR. 19. 1909. 943,609. Patented Dec. 14,1909. B SHEETS-SHET 5.

L. L. SUMMERS.

GOKNG FURNACE.

APPLIUATIOH YILD 12.18, 1909,

943,609. Patented Dec. 14,1909.

Q) BSHEETB-SHEET 6.

L. L. SUMMERS.

GOKIHG FURNAGE.

APPLIOA'MOH Hum MAB.19. 1909.

943,609. Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

L. L. SUMMRS.

GOKING FURNAE.

APPLIGATION FILED 11.19, 1909.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

BSHETS-SHEET B.

' nia? positing'the carbon in the coke, which is` oven so that the volatile matter distilled LELAND L. sUMMERs, or CHICAGO, IL'LINoIs.

COKING-FURNACE.

Specification of Letters atent.

ratetea Dec. 14, 1909.

Application filed March 19, 1909. Serial No. 484,354.

To aZZ 'whom 'it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, LELAND L. SUMMsRs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of- Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improyements in Coking-Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved coking furnace wherein my improved process of .coking may be conducted. i

Among the features of construction and operation is the provision of means for deordinarily carried away in the hydrocarbon gases or so-called volatile matter. In order to accompllsh this result., 1 construct my from the coal is forced to pass through incandescent coal or coke having a higher ltemperat-u're,`. whereby the volat-ile matters .are dissociated, by the high temperature,

`causing a certain proportion of liberated carbon, which is in the nascent state, to adhere' tothe highly ,heated coal or coke, thereby cenienting the particles firmly together.

By this means I have been enabled to pro- 'z'duce a. highlycoherent coke from inferior `grades' of coal,-which when treated by the ordinary 'coking process do notyield a commercial,coke-suitable for blast furnaces orV other purposes.

My improved furnace is of such construction that the liberated' gases after being utilized in the manner above d'escribed may be further used as fuel for the purpose of heatinn' the furnace in which they are formed, for the recovery of by-products, 01' for any other dcsired purpose.

In my improved furnace the coal is charged at one end of a retort and discharged at the opposite end, and being subjected to a Very high temperature throughout its passage, owing` to its prolonged heating. the coke at the discharg'e end is heated i to a much higher temperature than the material in the charging end.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section on the line 1 of Fig. 3, this view showing the arrangement of the heating fiues. Figz. 2 is a section of the empty oven on the line 2 of Fig. showing the floor of the retorts and part of the movable tile floor. Fig. 3 is a lougitudinal Vertical s section. Fig. 4 is a fragn'ientary Vertical' section o n the line 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. is a plan view of part of the conveyer tiles at the discharge end of the furnace. F ig. 6 is a detail view of the connection between the conveyer tiles. F ig. 7 is a transverse section on the line 7 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view in section upon the line 8 of Fig. 3. F ig. 9 is a. broken longitudinal sectional elevation upon the lines 9, 9 of F ig. 10, showing another form of furnace. Fi:` 10 is a transverse section on the line 10 of ig. 9. F ig. 11 is a horizontal section of the empty oven on the line 11 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view of the sealed outlet. F ig. 13 is a long'tudinal vertical section of a retort. in which the material is -moved by means of a conveyer fioor alone, Without the assistance of a plunger. F ig. 14 is a view corres onding to F ig. 13, showinflr the conveyer fidor drawn out.

Vhile 1 have illustrated in detail structures embodying my invention it will be obviou's that the particular .forms shown may be widely varied Without departing from my invention.

Generally speaking the apparatus illustrated in .Figs 1 to 8 comprlses two parallel coke ovens, a furnace, the products of combust-ion arising` from which circulate around the top and sides of the ovens, mechanism for feeding the carbonaceous matter progressively through the retorts or ovens from end to end, and a suitable arrangemeut of ducts for conduting` the gases which distil at the lower temperature end of the retorts through the more highly hcated coke adjacent the discharge end.

Referring to Fig. 1 the products of combustion rising from the furnace 1 pass through the ducts 2 over the top of the retorts into the longitudinal passage 3, thence back through the adjoining ducts 2 to the opposite longitudinal passage at, and so on to and fro across the furnace until they finally escape through the pipe 5. The longitudinal passages 3 and 4, as shown in the drawing, are provided with baflles G for the purpcse of compelling the products of com- .bustion from the furnaceto circulate back and 'forth over the retorts. For the purpose of conserving the heat the retorts vare preferably inclosed within an arch 7. Across the charging end of the furnace is a hopper 8 to receive the coal and a plunger 9 actuated by a. hydraulic cylinder 10 serves to force the coal and coke through the retort toward the discharge end.

sie

In order to overcome the difliculty which y pressure than that adjacent the discharge sometimes arises in attempting to force a body of coal and coke through a lono' retort I have provided a conveyer in the form of a movable tile fioor 11, which may be the sole means of eonveying the material or may be used in connection with a` plunger or other means` acting directly on the material in the retort. The side walls of the retort are preferably undercut at their bases, as shown in Fig. 4, and the conveyer tiles are longer than the widthof the body of the retort and project intothe undercut spaces at the bases of the side walls. The tiles forming the conveyer are bound together, in the present instance by means of pipes 12. T he pipesl are joined together at the discharge end of the tile conveyer and are kept cool by the circulation of cooling water therethrough, which in connection with the location oft'he pipes in the grooves 13 at the bases of the nndercut portions of the side walls, atfords protection against the heat of the retort. The pipcs 12 may engage the conveyer tiles 1'1 by means of lugs 25 projecting npwardly into grooves in the edges thereof. These lugs may conveniently consist of the projecting ends of bands bolted about the pipes 12.

Coperating with the tile conveyer fioor and secnred thereto is the plunger 14 of a hydraulic cylinder: 15 or other source of power. In Operating the'device to feed coal and coke therethrough from the charging hopper 8 to the quenching trough 16, the plungers 14 and 9 are drawn outwardly in the order named, thus permitting coal to drop from the hopper 8 in front of the pluno ger 9, and drawing back the tile conveyer' fioor 11, which is seeured to the plunger .14. Both plungers are then simultaneously moved inward thereby propelling the material along the retort partially by reason of the direct pressureiof the plunger 9 t-hereon, and partially bylthe movement of the tile conveycr fioor 11. The plunger 14 is then moved outwardly, thus drawing the convcyer floor to initial position, during which 'operation the plunger 9 remains stationary in its inward position, thus preventing the material from moving outward with the conveyer. The plunger 9 is then moved out-- Ward to permit a further supply of coal to descend from the hopper 8 whereupon-both plungers are simultaneously moved inward. Inthis manner the coal is continuously fed forward in the oven without undue pressure being exerted on the walls of the oven, and a continuous feed is obtained without permitting the coal to be disturb'ed or crumbled, as is the case when a fragile coal is used without some form of conveyer such as the tile conveyer fioor above described. .Itl will be observcd that the material adjacent the end, owing tov the fact that at any point in the retort the pressure is dependent upon the amount of materialbetween that point and the open discharge outlet where the material is relieved of all pressure. By reason of this fact the coke adjacent the discharge end assumes a more open texture, thus permitting the gases distilled at lthe charging end to have intimate 'access to lall parts of the coke adj accnt the discharge'end.

I have found that a satisfactory movement of the material through the retort may be etfected by means of the conveyer fioor alone. a stripper being provided above the conveyer at the' inlet end. Such a structure is illustrated vin' Figs. 13 and 1-1, 01' if the plunger 0 shown in connection with the cohing furnace be 'withdrawn sufficiently to permit the coal to .fall in front of it and the plunger be then held stationary the material may be fed by actuating' the conveyer fioor alone. Whether the plunger 9 be actuated to feed the coal directly or not it acts as a stripper to prevent backward movement of the material When theconveyer is drawn out.

In 13 and l-l I have illustrated a retort in which no plunger is used, the material being moved by means of the conveyer fioor alone. In this form of retort the wall 8' of the hopper is provided with a lower part S2 which extends into p-roxin'iity with the upper snrface of the conveyer fioor 11', the hopper opening being directly above the *harging endof the conveyer floor. In Fig.

l` the conveyer'lloor is shown in its inner position, just after completing the movement which carries the material toward the discharge end' of the retort. s the material is moved inward by the inward movement of the conveyer floor, additional material falls from the hopper upon the outer end of the conveyer floor. After the inward movement of the conveyer fioor is completed and the partsI have arrived at the position shown in Fig. 13, in which position a charge of fresh material rests upon the outer end of the conveyer floor, the fioor is drawn outwardly to the position shown in Fig. lit. lT he material upon the convever floor is prevented from moving outwardly by the wall 82. The outward movement of the conveyer fioor, however. tend's to move the i-naterial outwardly with it and thus ('oi-npresses the material against the wall S as illust'rated at- F, at whichI point the greater density of the material due to the compression is indicated by heavier lines upon the drawing. This compression of the material serves to prepare it for being coked in a cohercnt compact' mass. Furthermore, the presence of this' eompressed body of material, together with charging end of the retort is under greater 'l' acts to etfectually close the charging end of the retort against the admission of air or the escape of'gases. When the conveyer-fioor 11' is moved inwardly through the actuatlon vof the hydraulic cylinder 15', or other mech- 'amsm employed for that purpose, the compressed charge F is carried inwardly and additional fresh material drops down from the hopper. A repetition of these Steps effects a continuous feed and keeps the charging end of the oven effectually closed Without the use of doors orother expedients.

l'n order to subject the coke at the high temperature or discharge end of the oven to the action of the gases distilled at the lower ten'iperature from V-the coal at the charging end I provide the fixed floor 17 for about half its length at the discharge end with longitudinal groo'ves 18, and from the bases of these grooves apertures 19 communicate Wit'h'ducts 20 below the stationary floor. The vducts l20, 'as formed in the specific embodiment of the oven i'llustrated,

open at one end into a header 21 through whichthey communicate with an outlet pipe 22 which may discharge into the atmosphere or into any suitable apparatus for storing or treating the discharged gases. Preferahly`-a slight suction is maintained in the discharge pipe 22 to induce a circulation of gtwes downward through the heated coal or Coke in the dischargc end of the oven..

T110 forward or discharge portion of the U16 COHYPyer floor is provided with openings 24 registering with the grooves 18 in the Stational'y flUUl'. ly thismeans continuous coinnnniication ist-'provided through the tile conveyer floor and stationary floor from the inside of the"ovento the ducts 20 regardless of the position of the tile conveyer floor.

The quenchin trough 16 may be equipped With any suitab e form of co'nveyer for carryingl away the coke and coal may be supplied to the hopper 8 from cars or a con- Veyer. In order to seal the retorts against access of atmospheric oxygen thequenching trough is preferably eovered over as illustrated and the conveyer shown in Fig. 12 con'miunicates with the eXterior of the. trough through a closely fittingconduit. The steam arising from the contact of' the quenching sprays with the hot coke gives rise, to an outward'current through the conveyer conduit which etfectually prex'ents access of atmospheric. air. l guard against the entrance of air into the retorts for the reason that if atmospheric air were permitted to enter its Oxygen would combine with the carbon liherated from the distilled gases thus preventimer the deposition of the carbon in the coke and the desired ccmentinor action.

lu operation the furnace 1 will be fired and the from passing through the hollow tiles 2 from thev discharge end to the charging end of the oven will i ipart the requisite heat products of combustion 'there-v for the coking process. The gases (listilled from the coal atv the charging end of the oven, designated in Fig. 3 by the letter A, will rise to the upper part of the oven, as indicated by the arrows, and pass along beneath the roof of the oven toward the discharge end B. Owing to the suction maintained' in the pipe 22 and the fact that the discharge end of the oven is closed by a seal or otherwise the gases which are distilled at the low temperature charging end of the oven will after passing along toward the discharge end descend through the highly hea-ted coke in that part of the oven passing' through the apertures 2-1, grooves 18 and apertures 19 into the ducts 20 and thence to the atmosphere or such storing or treating apparatus as may be used. Thus the percentage of the so-called illuminants, or higher hydrocarbons, isdiminished by the continued contactwith the high temperature coal or coke, and the carbon freed by the decomposition of the gases, is deposited in the coal or coke, either in the form of a cement-ing carbon or as a coating which assurnes a graphitic structure upon cooling. The action of thus depositing carbon in th e interstices of the highly -heated coal or coke is theb basis of the so-called coking action and tends to form a coke structure very dense and hard.

By the action of the carbon on the highly heated coal or coke, it is possible to form a coherent coke from coals that ordinarily resist coking action, and are therefore termed vnon-coking coals.

In Figs. 9 to 11 I have 'illustrated another form of apparatus in which my improved process may be carried out. Generally speaking this form ditfers from that above described principally in the fact that low distillation products are taken from one oven and conducted to a higher temperature zone in an adjacent oven, instead of conduoting the gases from 'one part to another of the' same. oven. In this form of appa'ratus the means for feeding the material through th'e ovens is similar to that above described, comprising a hopper 8', plungers 9' and 14'., and tile conveyer floor 11'. The manner .of heating the ovens C and I) is also the same as' that explained in connection with the oven above dcscribed. The oven C adjacent its top and preferably in the side wall is provided with. a series of apertures 30 comniunicating' with a longitudinal duet 31, which extends lto the discharge end of the furnace. Adjacent the discharge-end ot' the furnace and extending about half its length are a series of openings 32 in the floor of the. duct 31 communicating with a series of ducts 33 beneath the floor of the oven D. The ducts 33 communicate with the interior of the discharge end of the oven l) through aperturcs in the stationary floor and in the tile conveycr floor in the manner above explained in connection with the oven previonsly descri'bed, the stationary floor being provided with longitudinal grooves 18' in the bases of which are apertures 19'. The tile floor is provided With registering apertures 24'. An outlet pipe 22' communicates with the interior of the ovcn D adjacent the discharge end. After heating the oven by means of the furnace 1' the products of combustion from which pass through the fiues the apparatus is charged with coal. As in the form of oven above described the discharge ends of the retorts are preferably sealed by a water seal or otherwise and a slight suction may be maintained in the outlet pipe 22'. The gases distilled at the .charging end of the oven C will pass through the apertures 30 into the longitudinal duet 31, thence toward vthe dis'charge end of the apparatus downwardlythrough the apertures 32 into the ducts '33, Whence the gases'will pass npward through the highly heated material i'n the discharge end of the oven D and outward through the outlet pipe 22' to the atmosphere or to storing or treating apparatus as may be desired. Chemically, the action of this oven corresponds with that shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, the oases distilled at the low temperature end of the oven C passing through the highly heated material at the' discharge end of the oven D, Where the gases are dissociated and the freed carbon deposited,'thcreby cementing the coke in the discharge end of the oven D and forming a coherent mass.

Referring to Fig. 11, it will be obvious that the arrangement there shown may be continued indefinitely throughout a series of ovens, instead of using a single pair as shown. For instance the low temperature distillates from the charging end of the oven I) might be conducted to the highly heated coke in the discharge end of a third oven, and the gases from the third oven might be conducted to a fourth and so on to the extent desired.

In connection with a short retort the plunger or. other means aeting directly on the coal is not in all cases necessary, but when a long' retort is used the plunger acting directly on the coal facilitates its movement. Even in the case of a long retort, however, the plunger may be withdrawn sufliciently topermit the coal to drop in front of it and then allowed to remain stationary for the greater lpart of the time, acting merely as l'a stripper for the conveyer fioor. As oceasion requires when the movement of the inaterial is not satisfaetory the plunger acting directly upon the coal may-be temporarily 'brought into action. w

One of the difiiculties incident to the formation of coke in' a horizontal ovcn heated from an' arch above the coke arises from the fact that the shrinkage of the material as the coking process progresses results in drawing the coke away from the source of heat at the top of the retort, thereby leaving a space which interferes with the eflective transmission of heat from the arch to the coke. If the gases be drawn off through the roof of the retort the direction of movement of the gases, being upward, is adverse to the transmission of heat to the coke by convection through the gases as a medium,

and fnrthermore, the gases are conducted' of heat from the fiucs at the discharge end;

The gases thereby act as a vehicle to conduct heat from the arch into the coke.

VVhile the apparatus'above' described is suitable for conducting my improved process, it will be apparent that the furnace is susceptible of a wide degree of variation without departure from the principle of my invention.

I claim 1. In a coking furnace, means for moving material therethrough from end to end, means for maintaining said material at a p1'ogressi\"cly increasing temperature from the charging to the discharge end of the retort. and means intermediate the encls of said retort for' compelling gases distilled from the less highly heated part of said material to pass through the more highly heated part. in a direction parallel to the radiation of heat thereto.

'2. In a coking furnace a retort, means for moving material therethrough from end to end, means for heating said retort, means intermediate the ends of said retort for compelling gases distilled fromv the cooler' freshly charged material to pass through previously charged hotter material having a temperature sutiieiently high to decompose said gases and cause the deposition in said inaterial of ('enienting carbonaceous substances, said means eonmelling said gases to move through said material in a direction parallel to the radiation of h'\at thoreto.

i. coking furnace comprising a retort, means for maintaining the discharge end of the retort al a higher temperature than the charging end. means for feeding material into .said retort at. its cooler end, and means for compelling the gases distilled in the re- `tort from tlieless highly hoated portion of gases distilled at the charging end to pass through the material adjacent the discharge end.

5. In a coking furnace,-a retort, a movable fioor in said retort, a support for said movable fioor, said movable fioor being provided adjacent the discharge end of the retort with apertures for th'e' escape of distilled gases.

6. A coking furnace comprising a retort, means for' feeding material therethrough from end to end, means for heating said retort, said retort being provided with apertures in its lower part adj acent the discharge end for the passage of the distilled gases.

7-. In a eoking furnace, a retort comprising a stationary fioor or bed- ;provided with apertures, a movable fioor provided With registering apertures, a'nd means for imparting movement to said movable floor.

S. In a coking furnace, a retort comprising a stationary floor or bed provided with apertures, a movable floor provided with registcring apertures, ducts communicating With said apertures, and means for imparting movement to said inovable fioor.

9. coking furnace comprising a retort having a charging inlet and a discharge outlet` ducts beneath and communicating With said retort adjaeent its discharge end, a conrover fioor in said retort, and means for imparting movemcut to said conveyer fioor.

having a charging inlet and a discharg'e outlet, ducts beneath said retort adjacent its discharge end and communicating therewith through apertures in the fioor of said retort, a conveyer tloor insaid retort having apertures registering with the apertures in the floorthereof, and means forimparting movemcnt to said conv'eyer fioor.

11. coking furnace comprising a retort, a conx-'eyer floor therefor, feeding means at the charging end of said retort acting directl)v upon said material, and independent means acting upon said conveyer fioor.

12. coking furnace comprising a retort 10. coking furnace comprising a retort p a stationary floor and a conveyer fioor therefor, ducts beneath said retort adjacent its dischar'e end and communicating With said retort t iroug'h apertures in said stationary and conveyer floors, an Outlet pipe leading from said ducts, direct feeding means acting upon the material in said retort and conre'ver actuating means to reciprocate said conveyer floor, said direct feeding means and conveyer feeding means being adapted to act together Vor independently.

13. A coking furnace comprising a retort, means forl feeding material therethrough from end to end, heat-in d'ucts adj acent said retort, ducts for distil ed gases extending through a portion of the length of said retort adj aeent its discharge end, said distilled gas ducts communicating with. said retort through a plurality of apertures.

14. In a coking furnace, a retort, a movable conveyer fioor for said retort, said fioor comprising a series of tiles, means connecting said tiles together; and means for imparting movement to said series of tiles.

15. A retort comprising side Walls having undercut recesses at the bases thereof, a conreyer comprising a series of tiles, said tiles being 'of greater width than said retort and extending into said recesses, and means in said recesses for connecting said tiles.

16. A retort comprising side walls having undercut recesses at the 'bases thereof, a. conveyer comprising a series of tiles, said tiles being of greater' width than said retort and extending into said recesses, and Watercooled pipes in said recesses, said pipes beng operatively connected to said tiles.

17. In a continuous coking furnace, a retort, means for feeding material therethrough, said retort being sealed at its ends and throughout a portion of its length provided atl its base and adjacentthe discharge end .With a)ertures for the escape of the .volatile products.

18. In a continuous coking furnace aretort, means for feeding material therethrough from end' toIend, heating ducts or flues extending over the top of said retort from end to end,loutlet passages being provided in the fioor of said retort adjacent its discharge end, and ducts comnmnicating with said Outlet passages.

19. In a device of the class described, an exterior roof, a retort, a heating furnace, heating fiues leading from said furnace and trarersing the top of said retort, said retort and heating flues being separated-from said root' by an air space, a hopper and feeding mechanism for moving` material through said retort, a seal at the discharge endof said retort, ductsvbeneath said retort adjacent the discharge end, said ducts communi- 'ating with said retort through apertures in the floor thereof.

20,. 111 a eoking furnace, a retort, a movablefloor in said retort, said fioor comprising a series of tiles, actuating bars,'means upon said bars engaging said tiles, and means connected to said bars for reciprocating saidtiles.

21. In a coking furnace, a retort, a movable floor therein, a ram for reciprocating said fioor, a ram acting directly upon the material deposited on said conveyer, said ram's having independent actuating means to permit both to be moved inward Simultaneously and to permit the oonveyer to be withdrawn in advance of the withdrawal of the` ram acting directly upon the material conveyed.

22. A coking furnace comprising a retort, means for heating said retort, a movable floor in .said retort, means foi` supplying material to said floor at one point and withdrawing material from said floor at another point and for excluding air from said retort during said Operations.

23.' A coking furnace comprising a i'etort, means for heating said retort, a reoiprocating floor in said retort, means for supplying material to said floor at one point and Withdrawing material from said floor at another point and for excluding air from said retort during said Operations.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

LELAND L. SUMMERS.

VVitnesses: WALTER A. SCOTT,

EDYTHE M. ANDnnsoN. 

